


ACT 00: Street Fighter - Birth of Shadows

by noctorro



Category: Street Fighter
Genre: Gen, Original Character-centric, POV Original Character
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-23
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-09-11 11:52:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8978554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noctorro/pseuds/noctorro
Summary: Prior to the Street Fighter 1 tournaments, a bright young scientist, desperate for funding for his research to support his new family, accepts an offer he can't refuse from a start-up company called "Shadaloo". But the appearance of 12 missing girls, the torture of a Korean politician and the death of a Chinese Interpol Agent eclipses his hopes for a better future. With an offer from the Kanzuki Corporation, will he reject morality and continue on his path to riches, or risk his family's lives severing ties with Shadaloo?





	1. The Beauty of Technology

**Author's Note:**

> "Birth of Shadows" is an original story featuring original characters, but firmly embedded in Street Fighter canon. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I have writing it.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dr. Tai Su Feng is a Chinese scientist on the brink of a breakthrough in augmented human performance - until funding is pulled by a Korean investor with political pull, and he is left with no choice but to find an alternate resource.

* * *

**Presentation Room**  
**Da Shan Laboratories HQ**  
**Beijing, China**

"Biotechnology is a beautiful thing."

The silence that followed was painful. There was no applause in acknowledgement, save for a few gleams of fluorescent lighting reflecting off dark slicked back hair of a few audience members, resulting from their subtle nods; nothing else but the whirring of the slide projector filled the air in the dark room. A diminutive scientist stood in front of the small audience of his fellow researchers, and one of his supervisors, each of them wearing a look of uneasiness on their old, pale faces. The doctor's own visage was partially lit up by the projected image of his co-workers cheek cells in a bluish light, somewhat hiding his confused expression as he waited for some kind of pat on the back.

"And thus concludes my presentation," the scientist mumbled, a few seconds later. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing off the plastered walls. After a few more moments of silence, he added with disappointment, "I thought you would have been more excited about my research."

"I was, Dr. Feng," the supervisor added reluctantly, rising to his feet, "because I could see plenty of opportunity. However, I don't necessarily agree with the direction you're taking." The supervisor took of his glasses and hooked it to his shirt pocket.

"I'm afraid I don't understand," Dr. Feng said, folding his arms as he looked inquisitively at his superior. "Enhancing human capabilities is what my research has been all about. Think about it – police officers with sharper hearing and eyesight to protect the innocent, firefighters with enough strength to carry more than one person out of a burning building … There are literally no limits to how society could benefit from this technology!"

"We're talking about genetic tampering with LIVE human subjects," the supervisor continued. "The ethical issues with genetic modifications are controversial enough. This …" he waved an outstretched hand towards the projection screen and at the good doctor, "this is just too much!"

"Will you at least consider the proposal for a branch dedicated to my research? Given enough time to explore the potential of my work, the opinions of the public and the government are sure to …"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Feng," he interrupted apologetically, "I will not. I know what the government will say about this, and more importantly, what they will say about US. And I don't want to destroy us. I don't want to destroy you, Tai." Supervisor Li placed a hand on Dr. Feng's shoulder, coupled with using his first name, was probably trying to make the dismissal of the presentation gentler than it otherwise would have been.

Dr. Feng stood there, appalled that he had just been rejected by Supervisor Li, the most respected scientist in the firm. He was certain that Li and his colleagues would be applauding by the end of his presentation, all concocted to hopefully open up a branch in the firm for his biotechnology research – but they were going to shut him down. No, they were doing it right now.

"It's Ambassador Han, isn't it?" Dr. Feng accused sharply.

"It would be prudent for you not to speak so loudly about the Korean Ambassador," Supervisor Li replied, reducing the volume of his voice down a notch. Apparently, it was working, as the other members of the audience had since risen to their feet and were beginning to make their way out of the dark presentation room, back to their laboratories.

"You said their influence would be limited," Dr. Feng pressed, jabbing a finger into Supervisor Li's chest. "You said even though a majority of their funding comes from the Korean government, we were still autonomous in continuing with our firm's research."

"It's never that simple," Li admitted sadly. "They've got their hands in our pockets, which means they also have -"

"I don't understand how you could throw away an opportunity like this," Dr. Feng continued, staring at his well polished shoes as they glowed faintly under the light of the projector. "You said you could see potential in my work. If this is not it, then what were you expecting?"

"I was under the impression that you were going to use this technology to help the sick," Dr. Li said. "I came in here expecting to find potential treatment for cancer, chrome's disease, dementia, Parkinson's, anything! Instead, I find you looking for ways to turn the healthy into the super-human. That is not where we need to be investing our limited funds!"

"But …" "This discussion is over, Dr. Feng. You are a talented scientist, no doubt about it. I just wish your sense of judgment was just as developed. Good day." Dr. Li scooped up his pen and his notes, tucking them comfortably into a little folder he carried with him and led the way out of the room, the other scientists filing out of the room in succession.

Dr. Feng remained rooted to the spot, unable to comprehend what had just happened to him. Less than an hour ago, as he was preparing to brief his co-workers on his research, he was elated, he was on cloud nine. Never could he have predicted just how low he would sink in a matter of hours. All the long days and sleepless nights he'd put into his research had to be scrapped. All of it for nothing.

* * *

 **Feng Residence**  
**Beijing, China**  
  
Shao Mei Feng gazed at the little bundle of joy lying in her arms. The baby was a spitting image of his father – except that he had no hair yet. Round eyes looked up curiously at her own, while the infant's chubby arms and legs moved about arbitrarily. She stuck her tongue out at the baby and wiggled it in the air, the child laughing in amusement, establishing the gentle atmosphere of the room with its delighted coos.

She recited a traditional Chinese nursery rhyme, something about an old lady sitting on a bus, paying the driver one dollar instead of the requested five cents. She doubted her infant son could understand, but he would learn to speak within a few years. She looked forward to that time, to the time she could finally exchange thoughts with her child, so she could understand exactly what he was thinking. Little Kenneth was a well behaved baby during the day, but he was a little trouble maker at night, waking her up at unearthly hours of the night with his screaming.

Mei hadn't gotten much sleep since he was born just a few months ago, and she hoped he would pass that stage soon. She glanced at the grandfather clock that stood like an ogre in the corner of their small living room. It was five-thirty in the evening and Tai would be coming home soon. Her heartbeat increased at the thought, excited to hear how her husband's day at work had been. He'd been talking about his research excitedly since before Kenny had even been conceived, showing her every little bit of progress he'd made, though she didn't care about it much.

Tai was a good man who only wanted to better the world for her and their family. Such compassion for his work, such love for her … it wasn't much of surprise that she agreed to marry him. She couldn't believe such passion and intensity could be packed into such a little man. They both stood at about 5'5" with jet black hair. He liked to keep his short and cut close to his head. It didn't get in the way of dangerous lab chemicals and he wouldn't have to worry about dirt and grime collecting in it. To Mei, Tai looked like the biggest dork she'd ever seen with his thick rimmed glasses, but the more she got to know him, the more she began to see past that. She began to see who he was and what he stood for.

"I'm home," a voice called out from the main door. Mei excitedly propped Kenny up into a sitting position on the sofa and leapt to her feet, running down the stairs adjacent to the living room where she sat and wrapped her arms around her husband's shoulders, placing a kiss on his cheek.

"Tell me all about it," she said excitedly. But Tai's answer wasn't one she was waiting for. His posture had already told her something was wrong as he stood hunched over, his eyes never leaving the ground – the complete opposite of how he walked as he left the house earlier that day. He looked completely deflated.

"It's a no go," he reported. Mei felt her mouth gape open.

"Excuse me?"

"It's unethical, or so Li says," Tai explained, loosening his tie.

"And you just went along with it?" Mei asked.

"I tried to explain it to him," Tai insisted, tossing his coat onto the wall-mounted rack, "more than once! But he never wavered. And Li dared to tell me my sense of judgment needed some development. If anything, my judgment is better than his!"

"Well, I suppose it could've been worse," she said, rubbing his shoulder gently. "They could've fired you for investing in something they didn't approve of."

"They only want to keep me because I'm good at what I do. But from now on, they just want me working on teams. No more spearheading my own projects. They trust my ability, Mei, but they don't trust ME." He took Mei's porcelain hands into his and looked straight into her eyes.

"Please don't look at me like that," she said, tearing their gaze. "I never like what you say after you give me that look."

"I've decided to leave the firm," Tai announced. Mei clasped a hand over her eyes knowing that she would soon cry against her will. "I can't work in an environment like that. Not only are they incapable of comprehending my vision, but what's even worse, they don't trust me."

"But how are we going to support ourselves?" Mei asked, demanding an immediate answer. "I don't go back to work for another year. How are we going to get the money we need?"

"Doesn't the office pay you for maternity leave?"

"It's not enough to sustain us," she said. "Please, don't do this. If you want to leave then at least wait till you've secured a job with another firm."

"Absolutely," Tai agreed, smiling proudly, "do you think I made this decision in a second? I've thought about it."

"You could still be a little hurt by their reaction to your work," Mei suggested.

"No," Tai said, waving his hand at her. "I'm happy if anything."I've been hearing news about the progress of one of our rivals recently. They're a pretty young company and are well beneath us in expertise, but they're progressing rapidly. And I think with my help, they'll be above my current firm in no time! Besides, they're not as bound by ridiculous moral 'codes' like Supervisor Li and his cronies are, and I really think I could make my mark with them."

Mei tilted her head slightly at him, curiosity burning. "And what other company would have such perfect timing?"

"Funny you should ask," Tai continued, wanting to keep his wife in suspense for a little longer. "I just had a little phone conversation with a man by the name of … M. Bison, I think he called himself. It's a strange name, I know, but he seemed pretty interested in my accomplishments."

"It took you years to show me what your work was all about. How long was this conversation?"

Tai shrugged, "Fifteen, twenty minutes, give or take? Anyway, I just gave him the jist of what I've been working on and by the tone of his voice, he seemed genuinely interested. I've set up an interview this weekend with his company's scientific branch."

"And the company?" Mei inquired, more intensely the second time around. A smile spread proudly across Tai's face, even wider than the one he'd left with this morning.

"Shadaloo."


	2. The Interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tai interviews with Shadaloo's young CEO, M. Bison, who ends up offering him the job. Mei reminisces with her husband's former teacher, Master Gen.

**Shadaloo Base**  
**Mount Fuji, Japan**  
  
Tai was marginally impressed with the Shadaloo head offices; or at least, what he initially thought to be their headquarters. To his surprise, the interview was to be held in a run down warehouse building that looked like it had either been abandoned years ago, or was just in the process of being remodeled. The floor was made of dirty concrete littered dirt and construction debris. Rusty chains sporting vicious hooks hung from the tin roofing, making it look more like a slaughter house than an actual office building. Had he not known any better, Tai would've thought he was being set up to get mugged.  
  
In the middle of the floor a few paces away sat an ordinary looking table with a wooden top and steel legs. At opposite sides of the table, a chair was set up, one for him and one for this mysterious M. Bison, or so he guessed. It seemed like he was the only living person in the building right now, but he had no doubts, based on Bison's reaction, that a representative of Shadaloo would show up.  
  
Tai glanced at his watch. He was on time – 5:00pm sharp. Or perhaps his interviewer was late? He grasped the handle of his suitcase a little tighter, hoping to curb the butterflies in his stomach. It had been awhile since he had to go through the interview process, having been employed for a solid decade now. He'd almost forgotten the proper etiquette when interacting with a superior. He and his current supervisor, Dr. Li had gotten to be close friends since he started his job, and formalities had been conveniently thrown out the window. But there was little doubt in his mind that he wouldn't snag this opportunity, regardless of how he conducted himself.  
  
"Please, have a seat, Doctor," a kind voice offered. Tai looked around for the speaker, spotting a large form step out of the Shadows. It was a tall individual dressed in a scarlet business suit and a black tie. The figure stood tall and had a strong build from what Tai could gather. As it stepped into the light, he saw a man, a few years younger than he was, but definitely more presentable than Tai himself could remember being. He knew he was a little under dressed in his khaki pants and button up shirt.  
  
"Thank you. Mr. Bison, I presume?" Tai asked. The figure nodded. "It's a pleasure to meet you in person." He extended a hand.  
  
Bison ignored the handshake and planted himself opposite from Tai. "I'm looking forward to getting to know your work, Dr. Feng. Shadaloo is a very young company and we've been scouting all over the world for talent. Though we are sizable in manpower, we are definitely lacking in the scientific department. We could use someone like you."  
  
"Y…you've heard of me?" Tai stammered.  
  
"Surprised?" Bison asked, cocking an eyebrow. "Rumors about your work have reached far beyond your native China – in the scientific community at least. I'm not too experienced in that area I'll admit. I'm no scientist. But lately, I find myself delving deeper into the world of biological … investigations … in order to establish a decent scientific branch for Shadaloo."  
  
Tai found himself stifling a laugh. M. Bison might have gone through some lengths to ensure he appeared cultured and knowledgeable, but it became more apparent to Tai that Bison was a young man barely out of high school at the end of the day, judging by his choice of words and his demeanor.  
  
He'd heard of Shadaloo before – a small organization rich enough to support its own military. But he never really knew what the company was all about, and where they fit in the business world. He began to regret never having done enough research on the company before applying for a position with them. Perhaps Mei was right in suggesting that Tai was still too hurt by the rejection from his own company to care where he ended up in his next job.  
  
"Then I think you'll be quite interested in the kind of work I have to offer your company," Tai said, resting his briefcase on the table as he unlocked it. "I assume there is a respectable screen here for my presentation?"  
  
"This is a pretty run down building, Doctor," Bison replied. "The walls should do just fine. You'll find an electric outlet somewhere by your feet."  
  
After a few frantic moments of setting up while Bison tapped his foot impatiently on the dirty ground, Tai felt confident that the slide projector had been set up properly. He pulled out a small remote from the briefcase and began the presentation he had recited so many times for Dr. Li. Only this time, he was sure Bison would be more impressed.

* * *

 **Feng Residence**  
**Beijing, China**  
  
"It's so nice to see you after so long, Master Gen," Mei said, after taking a sip from her ceramic tea cup. She placed it onto the coffee table and smiled at the aging man sitting across from her, who returned the expression, unable to say anything while his mouth was full of tea. "I'm sorry Tai couldn't join us this evening," Mei continued. "He's in Tokyo tonight for a job interview."  
  
"That surprises me," Master Gen said, after swallowing a mouthful of tea. "I thought he was happily settled at his current firm."  
  
"He's a researcher," Mei reminded, "And he's a passionate man. But he's been having some trouble at work lately. Not only are they pulling funding for his work, but they're barring him from spearheading anymore projects ..." Noticing Master Gen wasn't immediately responsive, probably due to the sudden negativity she introduced to the conversation, Mei added with a more positive note, "More tea?"  
  
"Yes please," Gen said, extending his cup, still appearing troubled by what he'd just learned about his former pupil. "I remember how excited he was to get his career started. A pity things have ended this way."  
  
"It's been ten years, Master Gen. You know as well as anyone that nothing lasts forever."  
  
"My, how time flies." Master Gen nodded his head in approval as he stroked his white beard. "It's good to see he hasn't lost any of the passion I've grown to know over the years."  
  
"You taught him well, Master Gen."  
  
"Tai will always hold a special place in my heart, as do all my students, present and past," he said, reminiscing. "He was never a fighter, always backing off as soon as he'd make the first hit in a sparring match. It wasn't so much the instruction I gave him, rather the philosophical discussions that he showed the most interest in. Funny how such a spiritual boy could've grown into a man of the sciences."  
  
"He still hold's your moral values to heart," Mei assured. "The biotechnology he's been working on is designed to enhance people's abilities like hearing, eyesight, strength and smell."  
  
Gen frowned, looking rather curious. "Tai intends to tweak what God has bestowed upon us?" he asked.  
  
"It's for the benefit of everybody," Mei continued.  
  
"And how does he plan on doing this?"  
  
"Don’t ask me for the finer details," Mei admitted, "but from what I understand, it's got something to do with injecting little robots into the body mixed with a little bit of modified genes that works with the body to enhance it. The only problem is the technology runs out of power and if it dies, the host dies too – in theory. Which is why finding human test subjects is proving to be difficult."  
  
"So there is a great risk involved," Gen said, nodding. "I couldn't understand how you could help an organic being by injecting it with foreign material. Perhaps I'm getting too old to understand all this new age logic."

* * *

 **Shadaloo Base**  
**Mount Fuji, Japan**  
  
"I must commend you for your research," Bison said, a wide smile spreading across his narrow face. "Aside from the little power setback of your 'technology', I think it could prove to be quite useful to Shadaloo."  
  
"Of course, my work on the project has yet to be completed," Tai explained. He didn't want to be dismissed by Bison just because he hadn't yet found a permanent source of power for the technology.  
  
"I am sure," Bison replied. "We can't have any of our subjects dying just because their batteries have died out."  
  
"Absolutely," Tai continued, "and my current firm is pulling the plug on this project if I stay with them."  
  
"It would be a waste, especially with such brilliant work nearing completion." Bison looked at Tai, the older scientist with a childlike expression of excitement on his face. "I am willing to invest in you, Dr. Feng. I believe I just may have what you need to sustain your technology in a host's body – permanently."  
  
"I'd love to hear what you have in mind because I can't figure out a way to permanently charge it."  
  
"It's called the Psycho Drive - the first anything of its kind. It's a machine that harnesses the energy around us, even life forces."  
  
"With all due respects, Mr. Bison, this sounds a lot like science fiction to me," Dr. Feng commented. He suddenly wasn't so sure how about Shadaloo, given that their CEO was talking like a complete lunatic right now.  
  
"And I suppose little robots and tampered genes that make a person smarter, faster and stronger … isn't?"  
  
Touché.  
  
"You begin next week."  
  
"S ... sir, am I being offered the position right now?" Dr. Feng stammered. He was prepared to wait a few days for an answer, planning to contact Shadaloo after a week if he hadn't heard from them. But being hired right away wasn't something he'd been expecting.

“Does that not work for you, Dr. Feng?”

“W…well, I may need to discuss the finer details with my wife first,” Tai offered.  
  
"We have a lab just outside Tokyo. I will make living arrangements for you. I understand you have a family back in Beijing right now, don't you?"  
  
"Y … yes I do."  
  
"Whether or not you want to bring them is up to you. Return to your family tomorrow and take a few days to discuss it with them. But I want an answer in four days. One way or the other, if you want this job, we need you in Tokyo by next week – that's seven days. Thank you for coming by Doctor. I'm sure you remember the way out."

* * *

 **Feng Residence**  
**Beijing, China**  
  
"It was a pleasure meeting with you, Mei," Master Gen said as he donned his dark blue trench coat. "And congratulations again on the birth of your son. I have no doubt that you and Tai will raise Kenny to be an honorable young man, upholding the traditions that have been passed down your family for so many generations."  
  
Mei smiled, "You mean, Kenny will uphold the traditions and beliefs you instilled into Tai. Not that I have any problem with that. Keep warm, Master Gen. It's a cold night tonight. I'll be sure to tell Tai you stopped by."  
  
Master Gen stepped out the door with Mei closing it gently behind him. As she turned the lock, she couldn't help but smile again. It certainly was a pleasure seeing Master Gen. Mei had met Tai when he was training under Master Gen. The older man always struck her as being kind, wise and awe-inspiring. She could sense incredible raw power beneath his fragile exterior, even up to now, ten years later. Mei had eventually begun to unofficially adopt Master Gen as a father figure as she spent more and more time with Tai. It was wonderful to get his blessings after he learned of their plans to get married.  
  
Ten years after the marriage, the couple now had a three month old son – a little later than both Mei's parents and Tai's were expecting, and they certainly made their opinions loud and clear. Master Gen was the only one who didn't speak up, telling them that the child would come when they were ready, and even then, only if the couple would approach him.  
  
Mei's reminiscing was interrupted by the phone ringing. She quickly dashed to answer it before it would ring another time. But it was too late. A high pitched, painful wail came from the upstairs nursery and was probably bound to continue all night. She cursed the caller. Who even called people this late at night, anyway?  
  
"Hello, could you please hold on a sec?" Mei asked without even pausing to find out who the caller was. She dashed up the stairs, her pulse racing from the sudden cardio workout and scooped Kenny from his crib, cradling him in her arms. Holding him, Mei returned to the phone ready to give the caller a piece of her mind. Now she was guaranteed a horrible night's sleep.  
  
"What is it?" she asked, a little angrier than intended.  
  
"Dear, it's me!" Tai said excitedly from the other end.  
  
"Hun, of all the people to call at this time of the night, I expected you to be the last one!" Mei scolded. "You woke up Kenny with the phone ringing. Now he's never going back to sleep!"  
  
"Look, I'm sorry, I really am," Tai said, "but I just couldn't wait to tell you."  
  
"You got the job?"  
  
"I got the job!" he confirmed in elation. "Shadaloo isn't just hiring me, but they've decided to fund my project too!"  
  
"Oh my gosh, that's terrific," Mei whispered quietly as she tried putting her infant back to sleep, rocking her body gently.  
  
"There's a catch though," Tai said. He cleared his throat and Mei could just imagine him giving her that look again, across the Sea of Japan or not. "I have to relocate to Tokyo."  
  
"What?!" Mei failed to contain her surprise.  
  
"Baby, I am not moving to Tokyo! What about my job here in Beijing? We have a home here, and an entire extended family over here. And don't think for a second that your family nor mine will let us leave without a fight. Did I forget to mention we don't speak a word of Japanese?!"  
  
"Look, I know it's a little sudden right now, and maybe even a little too late at night. Don't think about it yet. I'll see you tomorrow afternoon when I get home. Sleep on it.”


	3. A New Tournament

**Dongbei Elementary School**  
**Beijing, China**  
  
  
"I'm sorry to see you go."

"It wasn't an easy decision," Mei replied, looking down at her folded hands. She didn't want to put them on the polished wooden desk. She had a habit of leaning her weight against her arms, causing the edges to dig into her delicate skin, so keeping them folded on her lab was a suitable alternative. "I know it must come  
at a bad time, with me being on maternity leave and all ..." "We do what we have to do," the suited man replied, running a hand across his slicked black hair. "Alot of students have grown attached to you during your time spent at this school."

"I'm convinced that our students are the best in the district. That's what makes it so much harder to leave. But my husband's secured a job overseas in Japan - a very promising job for him and his career."

"You're a good wife to be supporting him in whatever he does."

"Thank you, Mr. Tsu."

"Meanwhile, I have a pair of students eager to say goodbye to you today." Mei had a good idea of who these students were. Mr. Tsu rose from his desk and headed over to his office door and opened it, revealing the twin forms of two high school girls, both with jet black hair, dressed in conservative dress shirts and black knee length skirts. Their faces were identical but it was their hairstyles that fellow students and teachers went by to tell them apart. Yanyu, the girl on the left, wore hers in two buns at the sides of her head with a French braid dangling from each one. Xiayu, on the right, tied hers back into a ponytail, leaving a lock of soft hair hanging down one side of her face.

"We're going to miss you, Mrs. Feng," Yanyu said, giving Mei a tight hug.

"I want you girls to continue studying hard while I'm gone," Mei replied. "I know you have what it takes to build yourselves a bright future. And when times get tough, I know you can always count on each other."

"We made a goodbye card for you," Xiayu said, handing over an unevenly folded card made of hand-made paper. The crumpled texture of the material eliminated any need for decoration. "I wouldn't say we're designers ..."

"I love it," Mei said, putting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"Well then," Mr. Tsu said, "you girls better be heading back to class."

"Yes Mr. Tsu," the girls acknowledged in unison, bowing their heads slightly in respect to their authority figure.

"We're all going to miss you, Mei."

 

* * *

**Feng Residence**  
**Beijing, China**

  
"Should I bring this shirt with me, Mei?" Tai held up a once-proud dress shirt, now stained pink from him doing his own laundry.

"It's quite becoming on you, dear," she joked.

Tai threw it in a pile of clothes, joining a dirty baseball cap, torn socks, a smudgy pair of glasses and stained shorts, among other out of fashion apparel. "If you like it, I know what to do with it." He smirked at her.

"Do not make judgement calls on my taste in clothing, Tai Su." He cringed. Tai never liked her calling him by his full name. "For all you know, it was my dressing you that got you with this current firm in the first place."

"And what a fat lotta good that did me."

"Baby, do you think we should bring all of Kenny's bottles?"

"The kid can't tell the difference between them," he said, dismissing Mei's suggestion. "Just take one. I don't wanna bring more than we can handle. And what's this?" He held up a crumpled card in one hand and threw it in the junk pile.

"No, I want to keep that," Mei said, fishing it out. "The girls gave them to me."

"Are you talking about those annoying twins?" Tai asked, raising an eyebrow at her. He remembered Xiayu and Yanyu when he visited his wife at work one day, clinging by their teacher's side like there was no tomorrow. "Why would you want something like that from a pair of brown-nosers?"

"They're very dedicated students," Mei replied, "You just don't understand. Imagine what people could've been saying about you in high school."

"Well you never cared," Tai said, shrugging, "and you married me. So you're stuck with me and I'm glad you are."

"Exactly! So you shouldn't be saying anything derogatory about Xiayu and Yanyu without knowing them."

"Well, I never cared what people said about me, and neither should they. I was just making an observation."

"Then let me keep the card, dear."

 

* * *

**Shadowlaw Base**  
**Mount Fuji, Japan**

 

"This is better than anything I could've hoped for," Bison said to himself as he leafed through the documents regarding Dr. Feng's research. Aside from the need for a permanent power source for his work, the only problem was that the organic make up of his biotechnology didn't quite fit with the Psycho Drive. From what Bison understood from Dr. Feng's presentation, a host's body could be enhanced to super human levels with a combination of electronic pulses combined with genetically tampered DNA strands injected into the body directly.

The problem was that the Psycho Drived worked in a similar manner, and Bison didn't want to take the risk combining the Drive's enhancement abilities with that of Dr. Feng's work. The two technologies weren't meant to work with each other, and putting a host through both treatments would result in a clash of two forces working in the same body. And the results would be unpredictable.

The only way for the biotechnology and the Psycho Drive to work in harmony would be if Dr. Feng eliminated the organic elements to his work and used the pure technological side for enhancements, while the Psycho Drive powered the technology and enhanced the host from an organic aspect. Bison decided that it would be best to approach the doctor once he was comfortably settled into the company.

 

* * *

**Feng Residence**  
**Beijing, China**

 

"My God," Mei said, clutching a pamphlet in her hands in excitement, "I don't believe this!"

"What's going on?" Tai asked, running to her side from the kitchen as he prepared some milk for their child.

"Master Gen is participating in the first ever Street Fighter tournament!" She held up the sheet for her husband to view.

"What!" Tai peered at the paper through his glasses. "Isn't he a little too old for this!"

"You weren't here when he stopped by," Mei said. "He may be old, but he's still got some vigor in that old frame of his. I could sense it."

"I haven't seen my master in ... years," Tai said, counting the time on his fingertips. "And of all the days he chooses to stop by, I have to be overseas for a job interview."

"He's proud of you nonetheless," Mei explained, rubbing his arm gently. But that was only the half truth. She didn't want to explain that Master Gen thought Tai's work was immoral, tampering with living beings. Being an old man, she could see why he would think that, and why he couldn't understand that technology was the gateway to tomorrow. Traditional Chinese philosophy, she supposed.

"How's his new student coming along?" Tai asked. "What was her name ... Chun Li, I think he told me once."

"I don't know, he doesn't usually discuss his student's progress with other people - regardless of who he's talking to. It's a matter of privacy. You should know that."

"Well, I hope the poor girl lasts through Master Gen's training. He may be calm and collected, but he could make a drill sergeant sweat as far as I'm concerned. And to hear he'll be participating in a martial arts tournament! I thought his fighting days were over. What does the competition look like?"

"Let's see," she said flipping through the pamphlet. "Looks like there will be fighters from all over the world. Ooh, get a load of this guy - Sagat. Says here that he's the King of Muay Thai, a kickboxing martial art developed in Thailand."

"Creepy looking guy, I'll say," Tai said, peering at the profile picture of a bald man with a pirate patch over his right eye. "Wonder what happened to him?"

"Beats me. This tournament is supposedly the most intense ever held in street fighting history. The only rules are the prohibition of firearms and the killing of opponents in the arena. But the tournament is not liable if the fighter dies of complications from the attacks after the match is over."

"Wow," Tai said, scratching his head. "I know Master Gen's good and all, but if he's going up against top fighters from all over the world, there's a good chance some of them will be more skilled than he is, younger, and therefore stronger ... I don't know, Mei. Why didn't you try and talk him out of it?"

"He didn't tell me anything!" she insisted. "I just found out about his involvement right now!"

"But why would he ..."

"WAAAAAHH!" Kenny wailed from the nursery upstairs.

"Oh God, Mei, that kid's gonna end up killing me one day!" Tai cried as he ran back to the kitchen to fetch the milk from the microwave.

"That's the deal we had," she reminded him, "you take care of Kenny while you're home. When you're at work, I take care of him."

"What about when you get off maternity leave?"

"I've left the high school already. Didn't I tell you? Once we get to Japan, I'll take care of the baby until we can find an appropriate nursery. Now, how we're going to do that, I have no idea. I don't speak Japanese. I would've rather gone to the United States. At least I can put some of my English to good use."

"What are you gonna do? Tell everyone your name five hundred times? That's all you know how to say!"

"It's more than what you could do."

"Excuse me, but I happen to be a scientist, a profession which requires knowledge in various languages ..."

"And you could recite the various austrolopithecus species five hundred times. At least the Americans will understand what I'M saying ..."

"WAAAAHHH!" The wailing continued.

"Alright, alright," Tai said, throwing his hands up in the air. "I'm coming!"

 

* * *

**City Streets**  
**Beijing, China**

 

"I wish we didn't have to see Mrs. Feng go," Yanyu said to her sister on their way home from school. The sisters walked closely side by side, something they'd always done since they were children. They had eventually grown out of constantly relying on each other, and being each other's best friends, but this was a childhood habit that had stuck. It had little to do with the cars speeding by on the busy and narrow Beijing streets. The pair was able to keep their formation steady as they simultaneously dodged people and cyclists. If anything, concentration of the people on the streets was far greater than the cars on the roads just a few feet away.

"She really helped us learn alot," Xiayu agreed. "But at least she's bettering her life somewhere else."

"Oh please, in Japan of all places. I think I'd die if I ended up eating fish all day."

"Raw fish, nonetheless."

"Eeeeeww," the girls made faces, covering their mouths and giggling together.

"Aw, come now, you can't mean what you're saying." The twins looked up in surprise at a towering figure dressed in a black suit despite the surprisingly warm weather this afternoon. It was a man, judging from the tone of voice and broad build. A brimmed hat covered his facial features as he spoke to the girls, adding towards an aura of mystery and perhaps danger.

"S...sorry," Yanyu said, trembling in fear. "We didn't mean for anyone else to hear us."

"That's okay," the suited man replied in a tone of mock-sympathy. "How about I take you there? I'm sure you will grow to love the place."

"This guy's creeping me out," Xiayu whispered to her sister.

"Sorry, we're not interested. Excuse us, but we really have to get going home now." the girls tried pushing their way past the intimidating figure, but he held out an arm stopping them dead in their tracks.  
"I'm sorry, but you don't have a choice." He smiled, revealing a set of glistening white teeth, visible even from underneath the shadow of his hat. He scooped up Xiayu in one arm who screamed in alarm, yet nobody paused to interfere, afraid for their lives if they were to be arrested for public misconduct in such a communist regime.

"Let her go!" Yanyu ordered, tugging at the man's arm that held her sister. but he easily plucked her up with his other hand and carried the girls away, both of whom were now crying in fear, kicking and screaming in vain.

He took the pair of them a few steps down the street where a black limousine waited patiently. A well dressed butler stood by the back door of the vehicle and opened it with a gloved hand as the stranger tossed the girls inside, slamming the door shut behind them.  
As he headed to the front of the car, he fished out a cell phone from his pocket and flipped it open. "Master Bison, the targets have been acquired."

"Excellent," a cool voice said from the other end. "Two down, ten to go."


	5. Chapter 5

**Shadaloo Headquarters**  
 **Mount Fuji, Japan**  
  
Tai stared around in amazement as he took in his surroundings – his fully equipped lab at Shadaloo headquarters. Despite having been employed and working here for the past few months, he was still impressed with his office, never having the same kind of facility as he did was with the old firm in Beijing. The walls were painted white, the tables nice and metallic. There was a computer, printer, scanner and fax machine set up in a cozy working desk tucked into the far corner of the room. A partition traveling width-wise across the room divided it into two sections, one for paper work and the other for experiments. He headed over to his equipment right away, his eyes devouring the sigh of rows upon rows of clean new beakers, test tubes, Bunsen burners, eyedroppers … everything he needed was here. He was like a kid being introduced to his new room stocked full of the latest state of the art toys. And to think that all of this was his and his only to use!  
  
For a young, upstart company, Bison or whoever ran this joint seemed pretty well off, investing a nice sum of money to build this base right into the mountainside of Mt. Fuji. As he was being introduced to the establishment, Tai had been sworn never to reveal the location of the base, not even to his family. He thought it was a little odd given the location of the base but he supposed private enterprises deserved their privacy too.  
  
Tai headed over to his desk and set his briefcase upon the finish while turning the computer on with a click of the button on the tower. He extracted multiple storage disks from his briefcase, all to be uploaded onto the hard drive of his new personal computer. He had been at the base for a little over two hours now, the tour and introduction to the facilities having taking about ninety minutes, and another half hour for him to find his way back to his office. Considering their lunch break wasn't till another three hours, he wanted to get started on his project right away – oddly enough, that's what Bison asked him to do. There were no other experiments that needed his expertise or his tending to. "Just work on your project and I would like to meet with you when this tour is over, back at your lab."  
  
Right … Bison was on his way here. Tai instinctively looked around to tidy the place before his boss's arrival, but having just entered the establishment for the first time, there was nothing to make presentable. And where was Bison anyway? Tai hadn't known him for very long, but he could already tell it was unlike the man to be late for a meeting … unless Tai had taken too long in returning to his station that the boss just grew fed up and left. What a great way to make a first impression! But it wasn't his fault the base was so damn big!  
  
He waited anxiously at his work desk, continuing to upload his data files while he did so. Tai couldn't afford to make any bad impressions on Shadaloo. Sure, the boss was interested in his work and hired him for his progress, but he didn't want the company to like him solely based on his personal project and not any of his other capabilities. He wanted to prove himself as a scientist to them.  
  
The metal sliding doors that led to his lab opened with a quiet mechanical whirr, catching Tai's attention. Bison, dressed traditionally in his maroon suit and black tie stepped in, flanked by a rather effeminate looking bodyguard, dressed in a similar business suit, only it was black. He had long flowing blonde hair, almost as soft as Mei's that reached down to his shoulders. His face looked like that of a porcelain doll, delicate features and flowing eyelashes. The only thing that gave away this man's masculinity was a strong, developed neck.  
  
"I'm not interrupting anything, am I, Doctor?" Bison asked from the doorway.  
  
"Absolutely not," Tai replied. "You wanted to see me, sir?"  
  
"Yes," Bison said.  
  
"Please, have a seat."  
  
"I'd like to introduce you to one of my security guards," Bison said, motioning to his companion. "This is Vega de la Cerna, one of Spain's finest matadors and a top notch martial artist." Vega bowed politely as he was being introduced. Bison continued. "We here at Shadaloo hire only the very best. Our personnel are the cream of the crop in their respective departments. It should not come as a surprise to you that I expect a lot out of you, Doctor."  
  
"I won't let you down, sir."  
  
"After reviewing the notes on your project that you gave me during our initial interview, I still have no doubt that your work will be nothing short of spectacular. But after consulting the other scientists in your department, I'm getting a little skeptical about our plans for your project."  
  
"I … I don't understand."  
  
"One serious shortcoming is an energy source for the technology. And to provide a permanent source of energy, we will have to connect it to the Psycho Drive. The problem is, the Psycho Drive already has the ability to enhance subject in an organic manner. But this is an unstable process. What I want is the ability to monitor a subject's growth and strength levels by technological means. And that's where your work comes in."  
  
"But there are also biological enhancing elements to my project as well," Tai explained. "Combining that ability with one of a similar kind as present in the Psycho Drive would yield unpredictable results."  
  
Bison smiled. "My thoughts, exactly. So what I want you to do is eliminate the biological aspect of your work so that it becomes purely technological. I want you to create a technology that aids in and controls the enhancement of subjects. Are you able to do that?"  
  
"Piece of cake," Tai smirked confidently. "But I'll need to understand how the Psycho Drive works in order to tweak the technology to make it compatible."  
  
Bison and Vega exchanged worried glances. A silent conversation was exchanged between the both of them for a brief moment. Bison turned back to Tai and smiled. "The Psycho Drive is a top secret project we've been experimenting with. Not even our most respected scientists have even stood in front of the Drive itself."  
  
"I'm sorry," Tai said, "I didn't mean to be so bold."  
  
"But you have good reason to be," Bison said, putting his hand on Tai's shoulder. "Because you haven't the slightest clue how much I expect from you. Please come with us. The Psycho Drive awaits."  
  
"I'm glad you trust me with this," Tai said, as they headed out of the lab.  
  
"Only because I want to," Bison replied. "The Shadow Technology will be the new base upon which our organization's technological advancements will be built. I can see it now."  
  
"The Shadow Technology?" Tai asked, cocking an eyebrow.  
  
"You're good at what you do, Dr. Feng, but you seem too passionate about this project to have even properly named it. There was nothing in your notes indicating the title of your work."  
  
"Oh …" Tai rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. Bison was right. He wasn't too sure what he called it himself, whenever talking about it with Mei. But the "Shadow Technology", huh? It sounded a little … a bit evil to Tai, with connotations that he would rather have not associated with anything he worked on.  
  
"You don't like the name?" Bison inquired curiously.  
  
"Oh, no, sir," Tai lied. "The Shadow Technology … I like it …"  
  


* * *

**Feng Residence**  
 **Osaka, Japan**  
  
Mei sat on the veranda of their home, a quaint little house built in the traditional Japanese style, situated in the outskirts of Osaka City. She was surprised Tai was still willing to take the job, even after discovering that the home purchased for them by Shadaloo was this much of a distance from his work place. Tai worked the regular 9-5 shift, but she doubted he'd be back on time, understanding what his job meant to him. But the fact that he had to commute regularly to the Kansai airport for a private plane that would fly him down to his workplace … did it have to be so inconvenient?  
  
Mei shrugged. "At least I'm not the one having to do it," she said to herself. Mei turned her attention to Kenny, her little bundle of joy sitting contentedly on her lap, gazing out at the street beyond their property with intense curiosity. He seemed to examine every car that went by, smiling delightedly at the sight of such speedy inventions.  
  
A little European boy, around nine or ten years old was running down the streets. Mei could hear his voice from a distance as it gradually grew louder as he approached. She didn't recognize the song he was singing. He paused at their gate and noticed her staring curiously at him. The boy was skinny, had light colored skin contrasted by a head of fiery red hair and just a few freckled on his cheeks and the bridge of his nose.  
  
"Hey, are you the new neighbor?" he asked her in English. Mei's heart leapt into her throat. She'd taken night courses in English to upgrade her skills at her old job back at the high school in China. But then Kenny was born and she had to put her plans on hold. She smiled at the boy who looked at her with such interest from the gate and walked up to him with Kenny in her arms. She wanted to talk with this interesting, outspoken boy but didn't want anyone else to hear her broken English.  
  
"Yes, we just moved here a few months ago," Mei replied with a heavy accent.  
  
"You guys wanted to come to Japan too, huh?" the boy asked.  
  
"It's very nice here," Mei said. At this point, keeping her sentence structure simple and short took priority over telling the complicated truth.  
  
"My parents wanted to move here too," the boy explained.  
  
"Do they like it?"  
  
He shrugged. "I dunno. I don't have any parents."  
  
"But didn't you say …" Mei was getting confused.  
  
"Well people say I don't look like everyone else. So that must mean my parents came from somewhere else."  
  
No … Mei felt sorry for the boy, having been told he was different at such a young age. Children should have to learn these differences through education, learn why people look different and the variety of cultures in the world – not through crude street culture.  
  
"My name is Mei," she said, introducing herself. "What's yours?"  
  
"I'm Craig," the boy replied. "Nice to meet ya!" They shared a handshake between the bars of the gate.  
  
"Where do you live?" Mei asked. If he didn't have any parents, she wanted to know who was looking out for this boy.  
  
"Oh, I have my own house. It's not big, but I feel safe there." Mei could tell he was uncomfortable discussing the topic when he suddenly changed the subject. "That's a cute baby," he said, pointing at Kenny. Can I pet him?"  
  
"Uh … sure," Mei replied, feeling slightly offended that he was referring to her child as if he were some kind of baby animal. Craig reached for Kenny and stroked the side of his face gently.  
  
"Wow, he feels soft," he commented. Kenny took Craig's index finger in his small hands and stared at it curiously for a second. After he was done looking, he bit down on the finger with surprising speed for a baby.  
  
"Hey, stop that, Kenny!" Mei ordered, trying to free the boy's finger from her son's mouth.  
  
But Craig was giggling in delight. "It's okay, Mei. It doesn't hurt!"  
  
Mei pulled Kenny away, holding him a safe distance from the boy. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "He doesn't mean any harm … don't you, Kenny?"  
  
"Nah, I'm okay!" Craig declared proudly. "I have to get going. It was nice meeting you!" He started running off.  
  
"Come back any time!" she said, as he disappeared gradually into the distance.  
  


* * *

**Shadaloo Headquarters**  
 **Mount Fuji, Japan**  
  
It was time to go home, finally. Tai glanced at his watch, only just noticing he had stayed after work for more than just the "few hours" he told Mei he'd be. Working in the underground lab, it was impossible to see outside, but his internal clock told him the sun had set long ago. And if it didn't, his watch certainly did a good job. Quarter past ten at night and his checkup call with Mei had been made five hours ago. He couldn't help his dedication to his work – it was a passion, and it didn't even feel like he'd stayed for that long. Tai was working his dream job and he knew it – and to think that it couldn't have gotten better at the old firm. Well, it did with Shadaloo. True, the name of this new company gave him the creeps when he first heard it, but upon hearing how they were willing to invest with him, that was enough to turn off any doubts in his mind. At last, a company that shared the same passion for bio-technological science as he did!  
  
Tai finished tidying up the office, stuffing discs of data files into his briefcase. He closed it shut and headed towards the door of the lab, making sure to shut off the lights has he heading out of the automatic sliding doors. Outside, he swiped his keycard into a slot just beside the knob and punched out, the electronic device locking the contraption shut until the next morning.  
  
The halls of the facility were dark, almost eerie especially with no other human contacts. This would take a little getting used to, as they were filled with movement even after hours. But this late at night? Tai couldn't remember the last time he'd spent this long at work and loving it. But now he wasn't so sure he should've stayed. That was just his animal instinct kicking in.  
  
"Come on, buddy," he told himself, "a grown man with a family and we're still afraid of the dark?" He continued walking down the halls towards the exit where he could meet the last flight out for the night. He lived far enough away to have to take a plane to work – and that was proof of the monetary power Shadaloo had. Sure, he loved what he did, but if he climbed up high enough in the company, there would be no limits to the kind of life he'd be able to provide for Mei and Kenny. Tai whistled an elated tune to keep his sanity in the strangely dark and empty corridors.  
  
A distant cry caught his attention, sending cold chills up his spine. He stopped dead in his tracks, his ears pricked up, higher than the hairs on the back of his neck. It was a cry made more out of sheer terror than desperation – the kind you hear in horror movies. Had Tai simply imagined it from his overactive imagination? No, that couldn't be it. He never had an imagination for as long as he could remember. There was definitely someone in trouble in the lab. Perhaps a co-worker had accidentally come into contact with some dangerous chemicals? No … the scream was more out of fear than anything else. His curiosity getting the better of him, Tai spun around on his heels and headed deeper into the facility, unsure of where to go.  
  
He jogged down the twisting corridors, confident that he'd remember the way out when he tried to leave. And if he didn't, that wasn't important to him right now. He wanted to find whoever made that scream. But the deeper he got into the facility, the more faded his hopes got. He wasn't going to find whoever was in trouble if they didn't scream again …  
  
"AAAAAHHH!"  
  
"Somebody need help?" he called back. Tai was close, definitely close. There was no response to his inquiry, even after a few seconds that seemed like an eternity. His eyes darted around desperate to spot some sign of movement, anything that would give him some sort of a lead. There was nothing. He had no idea where to go.  
  
Only then did Tai get a good look at his surroundings. It looked as if he had left the facility for another building. The Shadaloo laboratories had sterile walls and floors, everything in a white or a pale shade of gray. Now it looked as if he was viewing the interior of some alien spaceship. The walls were metallic, with elaborate pipes and wires snaking around in some random pattern. The flooring consisted of thick metal grating, lit from underneath by a strange, radioactive looking light. There were no corridors here, just one giant room with rows upon rows of human-sized tubes filled with a liquid glowing pale blue. The hum of machinery could be heard in the distance, though given the sheer size of the room, it was difficult to tell where it was coming from. The giant tubes were lined up in units of ten, grouped together by aluminum coated clasps that prevented them from touching each other, holding them in place. Tai walked up and down the aisles of tubes, looked into every single one as if hypnotized by their glow. He almost forgot the fact that he was looking for someone who might be in serious danger – but the person hadn't screamed since he entered the room.  
  
Tai's walk led him to the edge of the room, where he noticed the perimeter lined with what looked like prison cell doors built right into the metal. Why in the world would there be prison cells in a science facility? Unless Shadaloo was more than just a scientific firm … Tai suddenly realized that he should've done more research on the company instead of hopping on board just because they showed a willingness to support his work.  
  
He walked along the rows of cell doors, careful not to look inside in case something unexpectedly humped out at him. Tai had to admit he'd watched one too many horror movies as a kid and if he did have any sense of imagination, it would've been spawned as result of those terrifying experiences. In order for him to get a good look at the insides of the cells, he'd have to press his face up against tiny viewing window about the size of a size ten envelope. And he wasn't about to do something like that, especially not at this time of the night, at an underground base no less.  
  
Just as he walked by what seemed like a random door, a bloodied figure slammed up against the window. Tai was never athletic, but he'd never jumped so high in his life. He let out a startled, terrified scream and nearly landed on his rear as his feet came back into contact with the floor. It was a girl, a young girl no older than fifteen or sixteen. Her black hair was disheveled, falling in sweaty strands over her greasy, bloody face.  
  
She cried in horror, pounding at the door in desperation. "Jiu Ming!" she cried, utterly horrified. "Qing ni ba wo fang kai!"  
  
Chinese … she was speaking Chinese – or Mandarin, more specifically … Tai couldn't believe it. He had almost forgotten the sound of his native language. It had been a few months since he and Mei made the move, but they were slowly incorporating the local Japanese dialect into their everyday speech. The poor girl was begging to be released.  
  
It took Tai a second to calm his rattled nerves as he stared in surprise and confusion at the girl trapped in the cell. "Hold on," he said, replying in Mandarin. "W…what are you doing here? How did you get in there?"  
  
"I want to go home!" the girl cried. She seemed to have calmed down a little, no longer in complete hysteria, but certainly on the edge of it.  
  
"Where do you live?" Tai asked.  
  
"Beijing. But I haven't been home in … God, I've forgotten how long. It's horrible here. Please let me out. I don't care if I don't get home, just get me out of here. Please!"  
  
Beijing … this was from the same city Tai came from. But how did she get here? Well there would be time to answer that later. For the time being, what was important was letting the poor girl out from the cell. He noticed a card reader beside the cell door. He swiped it, causing a red light to flash from behind the reader. That was odd. The lights usually flashed green. It made sense to him though. He was no longer in his department … wherever this place was.  
  
"I … I can't seem to get this thing open," he informed her regretfully. Tai grasped the door handles and pulled. But the metal slab of a door wouldn't budge.  
  
"Oh no … I'm going to die in here," the girl sobbed.  
  
"H…hold on, don't say that. I doubt you're going to be killed. Have you committed some kind of a crime?" Tai remember Bison remember saying something about a military that Shadaloo owned. Perhaps they were somehow responsible for keeping order in the city? Was this girl some kind of street child? But she was Chinese … it didn't make sense that she would be a street child in a Japanese city.  
  
"I was walking home from school when they took me and my sister. I haven't seen her since we got here. I hope she's alright, but everyday I hear these horrible screams. They're too terrified, to panicked to tell whose they are. But I fear they might be hers …"  
  
"And they just left you in here?" Cold sweat was beginning to break out on Tai's forehead. Just who was he working for, exactly? Why in the world would a rich, powerful company bother capturing pre-pubescent girls? Was there some kind of child-sex trade going on here that he didn't know about? All of a sudden, the name Shadaloo was making more and more sense to him. "What have they done to you? Have they touched you in … sensitive areas?"  
  
The girl gulped, swallowing a wad of saliva. "Everyday they hook me up to this huge machine. The machine … it goes into my mind, into my thoughts and … and …" She was starting to break down just by retelling her ordeal.  
  
"You don't have to tell me if it's too painful for you to remember .." Tai said.  
  
"That's the thing," she continued. "I don't remember. Every time they put me back here after they unhook me from the machine, I start to forget things. It becomes harder to remember …"  
  
"Can you tell me your name?" Tai asked. It sounded as if this machine she spoke of had the ability to annihilate memories. But that was purely science fiction. There was no possible way that a machine could cause someone to gradually lose their memories unless it simulated some kind of electric shock that killed that part of the brain. Yet still, the memory loss wouldn't be gradual – it would be sudden. But if the girl could remember her city and her sister, chances were she could still remember her name. At least if Shadaloo was involved with trafficking children, he could look up the her name on the missing person's list and determine where exactly this young one came from.  
  
The girl nodded and thought for a few seconds. Tai found himself gulping down his own saliva with relative effort in anticipation. "My name," she replied, "is Xiayu."


End file.
